By: Evan Michael | Follow me on Twitter @00EvanMichael
On this day in Bruins history, March 22nd, 1964, goalie Eddie Johnston finishes an “iron man” season for the B’s between the pipes.
He becomes the last goaltender in NHL history to play every minute of every game in a season, albeit a losing one for Boston as the team finishes in the cellar with Johnston posting a record of 18W-40L-12T over the course of 70 games (3.01 GAA over that span).
Johnston’s career for the Black N’ Gold began between the pipes in 1962-’63 during one of the rockiest times for the team.
Mired in middling mediocrity, if not last place, for the first five seasons of his tenure, he rebounded like almost everyone in the organization in the late 60’s and became part of two Stanley Cup-winning rosters in the early 70’s, either backing up or splitting his time in the crease with Gerry Cheevers (most notably during the ’72 playoffs where he posted a lower GAA than Cheevers and had seven wins en route to helping clinch “The Cup” for the Bruins).
The Johnston-Cheevers goaltending duo would pave the way for future all-star tandems in net like Andy Moog and Reggie Lemelin, Tuukka Rask and Tim Thomas, and — if the B’s are lucky — Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman, now the “latest and greatest” netminder to wear No. 1 in net.
For more This Day in Bruins History articles as well as alumni birthdays and milestone moments, check back in with team BN’G weekly!
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